This invention relates to livestock feeders and in particular to a rotary self-feeder.
Self-feeders for livestock are well known in the field of animal husbandry and a variety of different designs have been developed in an attempt to achieve optimum feeding conditions for different types of livestock. Several of these prior art structures include means to agitate the feed material to facilitate the flow thereof. One type of self-feeder for livestock which is illustrated in the Lydon U.S. Pat. No. 1,695,597 includes a feed agitator with a chain having spaced bars thereon which is actuated by a triangular member in response to engagement by a hog. Another type of feeder is shown in the Casper U.S. Pat. No. 2,153,455 which shows a hopper for containing feed and a wheel including a plurality of spokes, both being rotatable with respect to a shaft having agitators mounted thereon. Bars are arranged peripherally around the top of the wheel and extend to the hopper to define compartments. Doty, U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,107 illustrates a linear type livestock feeder with a front partition adapted for agitating feed when abutted by an animal. The front partition is adjustable to vary the amount of feed delivered to the feeding trough.
Prior art self-feeders, however, tend to be either complex in structure or in manufacture, or wasteful of feed and inefficient in use, resulting in a relatively high cost to the user. Particularly in feeders having agitator means, a self-regulating feature is needed to prevent the animals from overfilling the feeding area or playing and rooting in the feed.